Another Reefer Freaked Out by Tank Weight

[trevorhiller]

I know there are a ton of these threads, but I’d like some feedback.

I have my eye on a Cade 600 Tank (24”x24”) 60 gallon cube.

This is honesty the biggest tank I’ll consider having because having a huge volume of water scares the crap out of me and lugging buckets of water is no fun.

However, I was totaling up the weight of this aquarium and now I’m worried about it. I want to put the tank in my office on the second floor, so I don’t have the option of adding basement floor jacks under the tank.

From what I understand, the tank itself weighs 160 pounds, the stand is 168 pounds plus 70 gallons of water (tank and sump), 3.5 gallons ATO chamber, rock and sand. This tank would be pushing 1000 pounds and it’s a 4 square foot area.

How do you guys with bigger tanks know what is too much? The rational side of me says don’t worry about it, people have big tanks all the time. But the anxious side of me says, that’s a **** load of weight.

I’ve also considered the frag version of the tank as I prefer the wider/shallower format, however, the frag tank seems very shallow. Maybe more so than I’d like so I am having trouble deciding. Plus the 60 would afford some more fish options.

 

[Reeferjunkie]

Go as big as you feel comfortable with and 60g is a solid tank and cube is a great style that I would go with. As far as weight 60g is kinda a small amount and you could put that tank just about any place without worry. Just try and make sure it's level before you fill it up.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Are you sure that tank is 168 lbs? I know cades are tanks, but that seems way too heavy for a 60g empty

 

[mfinn]

I seriously doubt the tank alone weighs that much. I would think maybe the stand and tank with all the equipment would be 168lbs., maybe.
You really have nothing to worry about, the floor holds a lot more than that per square foot.

 

[flagg37]

You’re fine for weight. Even if it was going in your home office (residential codes) you’d be fine. If your office is a commercial building, you have even less to worry about. The load requirement for commercial floors is 2-1/2 times what it is for residential.

 

[G Santana]

1000 pounds is 5 big guys standing on your floor in that footprint. Your floor should easily handle that.
I had my 130 gallon in my living room away from a supporting wall in a 100 year old home for 8 years, no problem.

 

[trevorhiller]

The tank weight and stand weight was straight from algae barn after emailing cade inquiring about how heavy it is.

I was honestly surprised. I figured the tank was going to be around 100 pounds and the stand way less. I guess they build them like tanks—so to speak.

It would be in my home office.

I watched this video on aquarium weight that was an interview with a structural engineer and it kind of got me worried. Not sure if any of you have ever seen this before.

 

[trevorhiller]

I guess it would help if I would’ve shared the link to the video I saw

 

[trevorhiller]

Ok my tank arrived today!

Its bigger than I visualized in my head.... I cut open the side of a metal air return in the floor to get a visual of the sub floor construction of my second story.

My home office is 13.5 feet X 14 feet with 12” plywood I-Beam joists spanning the 14 feet direction, 19” on center. On top of those is 5/8” OSB with another 1/4” of plywood underlayment with carpet over top.

I'm estimating this tank is going to weigh around 1100-1200 pounds and it's sitting on 4 1.5" diameter adjustable feet. I'm only going to be able to have the tank span two joists since its a 2 foot cube.

Any engineers on these forums. I was completely comfortable until I saw the tank and stand in person and now I'm a little worried about both the punching sheer strength of OSB as it pertains to the 4 adjustable feet and also the overall weight being supported by only 2 of these joists.

There's a sketch of my proposed placement attachment along with a picture of the beams (from my basement, but the second story uses the same style construction).

 

[gbroadbridge]

I know there are a ton of these threads, but I’d like some feedback.

I have my eye on a Cade 600 Tank (24”x24”) 60 gallon cube.

This is honesty the biggest tank I’ll consider having because having a huge volume of water scares the crap out of me and lugging buckets of water is no fun.

However, I was totaling up the weight of this aquarium and now I’m worried about it. I want to put the tank in my office on the second floor, so I don’t have the option of adding basement floor jacks under the tank.

From what I understand, the tank itself weighs 160 pounds, the stand is 168 pounds plus 70 gallons of water (tank and sump), 3.5 gallons ATO chamber, rock and sand. This tank would be pushing 1000 pounds and it’s a 4 square foot area.

How do you guys with bigger tanks know what is too much? The rational side of me says don’t worry about it, people have big tanks all the time. But the anxious side of me says, that’s a **** load of weight.

I’ve also considered the frag version of the tank as I prefer the wider/shallower format, however, the frag tank seems very shallow. Maybe more so than I’d like so I am having trouble deciding. Plus the 60 would afford some more fish options.

You're over thinking it. Seriously.

And at least one structural engineer has already answered.